


Beach Busters

by LuvBusters



Category: The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: Angst, Drowning, F/M, Love Confessions, Sexual situation/innuendo, Warning for trigger sensitive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-01-11 01:19:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18419849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuvBusters/pseuds/LuvBusters
Summary: I had posted this story before but decided to rewrite the last half. I hope you enjoy the new version.





	1. You Deserve a Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghostbustets’ latest client rewards them with a vacation opportunity.

Peter and Ray were running quickly around the old warehouse building, trying to close in on a very illusive ghost. Meanwhile, Egon and Winston were holding their positions. When Peter and Ray would chase the ghost in their direction, they would ambush it. The four of them could then trap it. At least, in theory. Plans don’t always work out as they’re supposed to.

The ghost came around the corner, spotted Egon and Winston, then turned around, headed back towards Peter and Ray.

“Damn!” Winston swore. “I hate it when they’re smart enough to figure it out!” 

“Indeed,” Egon replied. “Initiate Plan B.”

Winston got on his radio. “Ray!”

Ray answered on his radio, “Yeah, copy.”

“Egon said Plan B!”

“Plan B, copy that!” Ray responded.

He looked at Peter and shouted “Plan B!”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Ah Shit! Ok!”

Egon circled around the warehouse, getting the ghost’s attention. The ghost immediately flew after Egon. Winston had made it over to Ecto-1 and was getting out a device and powering it up. 

Peter and Ray came around from the other direction, surprising the ghost. 

“Hey, Ugly!” Peter taunted the ghost. “Come and get some of this!” 

He pulled the trigger on his thrower. He grabbed the ghost in the stream but wasn’t able to contain it. The ghost broke free and barreled towards Peter. 

Ray took a turn taunting the ghost. “Over here, you stupid ghost!”

The ghost changed direction and headed towards Ray. Ray fired his thrower. Again, he couldn’t hold the ghost. As it broke free, Egon came into view. 

“Um...come and get me!” He yelled at the ghost. 

As the ghost hurdled towards Egon, a powerful proton stream shot out, effectively grabbing the ghost. The device Winston was using had proven to be strong enough to do the job. 

Peter and Egon fired their throwers, helping to hold the ghost in place.

Ray threw out and opened the trap. “Trap open!” He yelled.

They lowered the ghost down and within seconds, had it trapped. 

“Wow,Egon! This new proton rifle you and Ray came up with is amazing!” Winston exclaimed. 

“Yeah, Zed, and with your precision aiming, it makes a great addition!” Peter said.

As they were loading up Ecto-1, the gentleman who had hired the Ghostbusters for this job came driving up. 

“Excellent work, gentleman! Excellent work!”

Peter stepped forward, eager to collect their payment. “Thank you, Mr. Alexander. Now if you don’t mind, we’d like to wrap this up and go home.” 

“Of course!” He said, handing Peter the check. “I would like to give you all a bonus for taking care of this matter so quickly.” 

They all grinned, especially Peter. 

“What have you got in mind?” Peter asked.

“I own a timeshare in Miami, Florida. It’s a small condo. I’d like for you gentleman to use it. You deserve a vacation. I can arrange for you to use it for next week. Hey, why not take your lovely secretary as well? There’s more than enough room. Besides, I’m sure she could use some time off, too.”

Peter leaned over and whispered to Ray, “He has at least talked to Janine, right? I mean, what about her gives him the idea she’s lovely?” He gave Ray a playful wink. Ray just grinned and lightly elbowed Peter in the ribs. 

“Thank you, Mr. Alexander,” Peter replied. “That’s very generous of you. We’d love to.”

“It’s the least I can do. I’ll have my secretary contact Ms. Melnitz with the travel information and details,” Mr. Alexander said.

******************  
As the guys were getting out of Ecto-1 at the Firehouse, they were all smiles. 

Janine had a skeptical look on her face. “What’s up with the grins?” she asked. “Ray didn’t accidentally bust open a container of laughing gas again, did he?”

Peter walked up to her, his Cheshire-like grin appearing. “Actually, we’re taking a vacation next week!” He said, his eyes glistening as he handed her the check for deposit.

Janine rolled her eyes. “Figures,” she replied. “You guys get all the breaks.”

“You’re coming with us!” Ray said excitedly. 

Janine’s eyes lit up. “Really!?!” She asked.

“Yeah, a week in Miami!” Winston said. 

Janine squealed. “Ooooohhhh! I’ve gotta go shopping!”

Peter said, “yeah, Egon would just LOVE to see you in a thong!” He wiggled his eyebrows at Egon. 

Egon’s face turned three shades of red. 

Janine gave Peter an evil grin. “If Egon sees me in a thong, it won’t be on the beach.” She gave Egon a playful wink. “I’ll see you boys in the morning. I’m taking this check to the bank.”

As she walked past Egon, she added an extra swing to her hips, and sauntered past him. 

“Come on, man,” Winston said, patting Egon’s shoulder. “Why don’t you head for the shower?”

Egon smiled faintly, hoping his natural color was returning to his face. “Why rush? By the time Peter’s finished, there won’t be any hot water left.” 

Winston smiled. “That’s alright. You don’t need hot water.” He chuckled, then went to help Ray with the trap.

Egon blushed again after realizing what Winston meant. He sighed and thought to himself, “a week in Miami with Janine in a bikini. I’ll have to take cold showers the entire trip.” He grinned mischievously as he walked upstairs towards the bunk room.


	2. Miami Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group head to Miami for some peace and quiet. Maybe?.....

Janine was excited as their plane was headed for Miami. Peter and Egon were flying with Janine to their destination, while Ray and Winston were driving down in a rental van.

Janine couldn’t shake the feeling that they should take the proton packs with them. Since Egon and Ray had tested her previously and proven that Janine did possess some slight psychic abilities, Egon agreed. 

They couldn’t take the equipment on the plane so Ray and Winston decided to drive down. They rented a van so as to not draw extra attention to themselves. This was supposed to be a vacation, after all. Since they were driving, they left the Firehouse a day before the rest.

Egon was reading the newspaper while Janine was sitting by the window reading. Peter was busy chatting up the beautiful blonde sitting across the aisle. 

“I hope Hurricane Ethel doesn’t dampen our trip,” Egon said. 

Janine placed a bookmark to hold her place in her book and looked at Egon. 

“I think it’s still too far out at this point, isn’t it?” She asked. 

“Perhaps,” Egon replied. “But if she picks up speed, it could cut our trip short.”

“Well, I’ll take what vacation I can get,” Janine said. “Who knows when I’ll get another chance like this?”

Egon gave Janine a concerned look. “Exactly what gave you the ‘feeling’ we’d need our equipment?” 

Janine shrugged. “Don’t know. Sometimes I just get these gut feelings. And when I don’t listen to it, I’ve regretted it. I call it strong women’s intuition.”

Egon smiled. “Well, let me know if you have anymore ‘gut feelings’ - we did prove you’re slightly psychic.” 

Janine gave him a wink. “You’ll be the first to know,” she said seductively. 

Egon blushed, swallowed hard and hid behind the newspaper. 

********************  
When their rental car pulled up to the condo, Peter, Egon and Janine got out to take a look at their plush surroundings.

“This is a SMALL condo?” Peter exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear. 

Janine let out a slow whistle. “Wow! So this is how the other half lives!” 

“It’s certainly spacious,” Egon said.

They took their bags and went inside to claim their bedrooms. The condo had a large living room area that contained a huge 52” screen tv. The kitchen was almost as big and included a breakfast nook and bar area, complete with whiskey and scotch. It had five bedrooms and three bathrooms. There was also enough space for an air mattress in each room if needed; the rooms were that big. The living room sofa also unfolded to be a bed big enough to sleep two additional people, if needed. 

Janine chose a bedroom that overlooked the beach. Egon chose the bedroom next door to hers; Peter chose the first bedroom at the top of the stairs. That room also had a view that overlooked the beach as well as a plush hotel with a pool. 

“I’m gonna LOVE this trip!” Peter said. 

Janine rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You picked that room so you can ogle the women at that pool at the hotel!”

“Damn right!” Peter said with a grin. “I’m a single guy on vacation; I can ogle all I want.”

Egon rolled his eyes, too. 

Janine said, “I’m glad you’re not shallow, Egon.” She smiled at him with the same starry eyed look that he has grown accustomed to. 

Egon blushed and smiled back. “Yes, well...ahem...I’ve always been into academia more than Peter. Besides, I believe there’s more to a woman than just good looks.”

Janine’s smile widened and her eyes twinkled. She then turned and closed her bedroom door to change clothes. 

Peter, who had snuck up on Egon and heard his last remark said, “Well, now that you’ve succeeded in turning Janine on, you’d better go change into your swim trunks.”

Egon’s face took on a look of shock. “I was merely trying to pay her a compliment!”

Peter laughed. “We’ll see how much you can talk after she steps out in a bikini!”

He then went to his room to change clothes, leaving Egon with his thoughts. 

*******************  
Winston and Ray arrived a few hours later. It was a few hours before dinner. They were blown away by the condo and were stepping inside to check it out. They hesitated before entering the living room. From the conversation they were hearing, they were afraid they might be interrupting something. 

“Oh good God, Egon! Take it easy! I can’t bend my leg like that!” Janine was saying.

“Yeah, Spengs. Be gentle with her,” said Peter.

“You stay out of this, Venkman! This was your idea to begin with!” Janine yelled. 

Winston cleared his throat and Ray coughed to let them know they were there. 

“Aahhh, do we need to come back another time?” Winston asked.

As he and Ray entered, they saw Janine sitting on the edge of the couch with a beach towel wrapped around her. Egon was sitting on the edge of the couch next to her fussing over her with what looked like a bottle of antiseptic and cotton balls. Peter was sitting across the room with a bottle of scotch in his hand, looking quite amused by the whole thing. 

“Hello Boys!” Peter said. “Come on in!”

“What happened?!” Ray asked.

“I got stung by a damn jellyfish!” Janine shouted. “I can’t swim and was just gonna sit on the beach. Dr. Dickwad over there convinced me to go in the ocean waist deep. It won’t ten minutes when I felt like a zillion bees were stinging my leg. Egon had to carry me back up here!”

As Winston and Ray came into the living room, they could see four red whelps on her lower right thigh. Egon was trying to help by applying peroxide to them but, because of the angle Janine was sitting and the location of the whelps, he was having a hard time. 

“Ow! Son of a bitch, Egon! That hurts like hell!”

“I’m sorry,” Egon said.

“It’s ok. Just hurry up,” Janine begged.

“I told you to use the scotch,” Peter taunted. 

“The alcohol would be too harsh, Peter,” Egon said annoyed.

“Who said anything about using it on her leg? I meant for her to drink it!” Peter replied.

Janine gave Peter a glare. “Egon, please ignore what I’m about to do,” she said. 

She then flipped Peter the finger. 

Winston and Ray tried to hide their amusement but didn’t quite make it. They both burst out laughing. 

Peter joined in. Egon looked at Janine, then they both started laughing too. 

Peter stood up and said, “let’s get ready for dinner.”


	3. Dreams & Sunscreen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janine tells Egon about a strange dream and applying sunscreen can be a challenge.

Everyone had showered and changed clothes and were finally on their way to dinner. Egon had a sour expression on his face. 

Janine tried to cheer him up. “Egon, for the thousandth time, you didn’t know peroxide wouldn’t help a jellyfish sting. It’s ok. The Vaseline Ray bought for me is helping. It feels a lot better now.” She squeezed Egon’s hand and smiled.

Egon smiled back faintly. 

Peter couldn’t help but use this moment to tease his best friend. 

“Yeah, Spengs. You don’t know EVERYTHING,”  
Peter said with a wink. “But I bet Janine’ll let you check it when it comes time to change the bandage.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Janine. 

Janine gave Peter another glare. “Dr. V, eat shit and die,” she smirked.

Peter just laughed. It was too easy to tease the two of them about their feelings for each other. 

Finally, they arrived at a seafood restaurant. 

“Looks like we beat the dinner rush!” Ray said excitedly.

“Yeah, let’s hurry and get a table,” Winston said.

While they were waiting for a table, there was a tv in the waiting area tuned into the local news station. They were reporting on Hurricane Ethel. 

“Hurricane Ethel seems to be shifting her track a bit, lining her up with Miami. She’s gaining strength, now at a Category 3. We’ll keep you updated as we continue to watch this potentially dangerous storm.” 

“Great, there goes our vacation,” Peter said sulkily. 

“Oh, just enjoy the time we do get,” Janine said, trying to be positive.

They all enjoyed a delicious meal. On the way back to the condo, they passed by a beautiful estate. 

“Ooh! Would ya look at that?!” Janine said. 

“That’s the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens,” Ray said. “Maybe we could visit before we leave?”

“I’d love to! It’s gorgeous!” Janine said excitedly. 

“All the gorgeous I wanna see is back at the beach,” Peter said. 

“You should’ve stopped after the second beer, Pete,” Winston said.

“Nah, I’m ok,” Peter slightly slurred. 

“And this is the reason we’ve never taken a beach trip together,” Egon whispered to Janine. 

She laughed with a slight snort. “As long as he doesn’t start chasing women down the street, we’ll be fine,” Janine said.

“Give it time,” Ray said, grinning. 

Winston and Ray helped Peter into the condo and up the stairs to his room. He flopped onto the bed and immediately started snoring. 

Egon and Janine followed. 

“I thought Peter could hold his liquor better than that,” Janine said. 

“It must’ve been those glasses of scotch he had before dinner,” Egon replied. 

“Oh yeah, while I was fussing about my jellyfish sting,” Janine said, frowning about the memory.

“He’ll be fine by morning,” Winston said as he and Ray came downstairs.

“What’s the latest on the hurricane?” Ray asked.

They turned on the tv. The local news station was giving an update. 

“Looks like Hurricane Ethel will be swinging in our direction and possibly making landfall here in Miami by the end of the week.”

“Well, guess we can stay through Thursday at least?” Ray asked.

“Sure, four days is still better than none,” Janine pointed out.

“That’s right! We’ll enjoy the time we’ve got!” Winston agreed.

They all went to their respective bedrooms and settled in for a good night’s sleep.

***************

Janine came downstairs to the kitchen. Egon was already up, fixing himself a bowl of cereal. 

“Good morning,” he greeted Janine.

“Morning,” Janine mumbled. 

“Can I get you something?” Egon offered.

“Just a cup of coffee, thanks,” Janine said.

“How did you sleep?” Egon asked, handing Janine a cup of coffee.

“Ok I guess. Just had a couple of weird dreams,” Janine said, sipping her coffee.

“Care to elaborate?” Egon said, sitting across the table from Janine with his cereal.

“We were in the middle of a hurricane and trying to catch a ghost or something,” Janine said. 

“Probably because we were talking about the pending hurricane last night,” Egon replied. 

“Yeah, maybe,” Janine said. “It was also something else..the weird part. I can’t remember a lot of it. But I think we were down at the beach or a pier or something. Everything there gets fuzzy. It was hard for me to hear you guys. Then i woke up.”

Egon thought about that for a moment. For some reason, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. 

Peter then bounded down the stairs. 

“Come on people! We hitting the beach or what?”

“You’re in a good mood for someone who should be terribly hung over,” Egon said with a smirk.

Janine gave a little snort.

“It takes more than that to keep Peter Venkman down!” Peter said enthusiastically. “Come on Janine! Maybe I’ll get stung by a jellyfish today.”

“I can only hope,” she muttered under her breath but loud enough for Egon to hear.

Egon just smiled.

*******************  
The guys (Winston, Ray and Peter) were having a good time riding the waves on their boogie boards. Egon was slowly walking up and down the shore looking for anything interesting enough to add to his collection of weird stuff. Janine was laying out on a beach towel. 

She was wearing a neon yellow bikini, not quite as skimpy as some of the others on the beach, but tasteful. She saw Egon walking back in her direction. She sat up.

“Egon,” she said in a sing song tone.

“Yes?” He responded, walking over to her.

“Would you mind rubbing some more sunscreen on my back? I’m so fair skinned, i don’t wanna get burned.”

She handed him the bottle and turned her back to him. Egon gulped, then knelt down behind Janine. 

He started rubbing the lotion on her upper back, slowly working his way down. He stopped when he reached her mid back.

“I..um..the bikini strap is..ahh..,” Egon stuttered. 

“Oh, no problem,” Janine said. She then reached behind her and skillfully untied the bikini, the only thing holding it in place was the upper strap behind her neck.

She then laid down on her stomach on the beach towel.

Egon’s mouth went dry. His hands trembled slightly as he continued applying the lotion. 

Janine closed her eyes, smiling and imagined Egon rubbing his hands on other parts of her body. 

Finally, Egon finished applying the sunscreen.

“There you go,” he choked out the words. 

“Mmm, thanks,” Janine purred.

Egon stayed seated on his beach towel next to Janine’s. He was hoping if he sat down long enough and thought about equations, the erection he had would go down before the guys came back.


	4. Penitence Must Be Paid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the group investigates, Janine is attacked.

Hurricane Ethel was getting closer to Miami. They weren’t being forced to evacuate yet, but it wouldn’t be long. She had been upgraded to a Category 5 storm. 

The guys were in the process of getting their stuff together. Janine was the last one to get her bags packed. 

“I’m sorry our vacation got messed up,” Ray said sadly to Janine. 

“No, it’s ok, Ray,” Janine said. “I..just...,” she trailed off.

Egon walked up, his PKE meter in his hand. 

“I believe we may need to stay a while longer,” Egon said, adjusting his glasses. “These readings indicate slight spectral activity in the area.”

“When did that start?” Winston asked. 

“A few moments ago,” Egon replied. 

“Janine, when did you start feeling like..whatever it is you’re feeling?” Ray asked. 

“A couple minutes ago,” Janine said, a confused look on her face. 

“Whatcha thinkin, Ray?” Winston asked.

“Janine’s psychic ability. It kicked in about the same time as Egon’s PKE meter.,” Ray said. 

“I thought you guys said it’s not strong enough to predict the future?” Peter spoke up.

“I’m not saying Janine is predicting anything,” Ray explained. “It’s just the fact that she’s sensing something. It suggests that she has an open channel sensitive to psycho kinetic energies.”

“Ok, Ray,” Janine said, with an anxious look on her face. “You’re officially starting to freak me out.”

“It makes sense,” Egon said. “I believe we should track the source of these readings.”

“In the middle of a Category 5 hurricane?!” Peter shouted.

“It’s not here yet; we’ve still got a little more than twenty-four hours,” Winston said.

“Approximately twenty-six hours, thirty-seven minutes, according to the storm’s latest coordinates and wind speed,” Egon corrected.

Peter rolled his eyes. “Well, let’s get to it then. The sooner we get this figured out, the sooner we can get the hell outta here.”

The proton packs had been packed into the rental van and everyone had gotten into their jumpsuits. 

Egon was using the readings on the PKE meter to guide their direction. They ended up in front of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. The arms on the meter were starting to raise. They followed Egon until they were standing in front of the beautiful building.

“Well, you wanted to see the gardens,” Ray said quietly to Janine.

She just gave him a faint smile.

“I believe there is a doorway somewhere in this area,” Egon said. “That would be the source of the readings.”

The group split up and spread out. Winston headed towards the left side of the building while Ray went inside to check the rooms. Peter walked along the edge of the gardens while Egon and Janine headed down the steps leading towards the ocean.

Janine took a few steps down closer to the water when suddenly, a bright white light appeared, hovering just above the water. “EGON!” She screamed. She didn’t get a chance to aim her thrower because a blast shot out, causing Janine to gasp for air.

“Janine!” Egon shouted as he ran towards her.

The others heard Egon and Janine’s screams and ran towards them. Janine had been lifted into the air and was being guided down to the edge of the walkway next to the water.

Janine frantically reached out and grabbed one of the small pillars that ran along the top of a stone wall. “GUYS! HELP ME!” 

Egon was the first to reach Janine, followed closely by Peter. Winston followed and Ray was bringing up the rear. He barely heard the screams from inside the main building.

Egon took Janine by both hands, trying to pull her back. But the light that engulfed her was too strong. It continued pulling until Janine’s hands slipped free.

“NO! JANINE!” Egon screamed, staring at Janine’s horrified face.

“EGON!” She screamed. The light pulled her away from the stone wall and out across the water. As suddenly as the light appeared, it disappeared, dropping Janine into the swirling waves. The water was churning heavily due to the hurricane that was miles away.

She tried to keep her head above the water but was quickly overtaken. The violent waves pounded Janine’s body as she slipped further below the surface. She fought to reach the top as long as she could but soon gave out.

Meanwhile, above the water, the guys were scrambling to save her. Egon had removed his pack and jumped into the water. Ray had gone back to Ecto-1 to retrieve some blankets. Peter and Winston stood on the very edge of the walkway, ready to hand off Janine when Egon returned.

The waves were battering Egon as he quickly searched the water. Maneuvering in this situation was difficult, even for an experienced swimmer. He came back to the top, took in another deep breath, then went back under. He repeated the process twice more before he found her. He grabbed Janine underneath her arms, struggling with the added weight of her pack that was still attached. Finally, he made his way back to safety.

Peter reached down and took Janine from Egon. Winston quickly carried her back up to the top of the stairs while Peter assisted Egon in getting out of the water. They both raced to join Winston; ray had returned with blankets. They had removed her pack and were trying to assess her condition.

Winston checked her neck for a pulse; he looked at Egon and shook his head.

“CPR! Peter, do mouth to mouth; I’ll do compressions!” Egon ordered.

Both men took their respective positions; Peter prepared Janine’s airway while Egon unzipped her jumpsuit. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans underneath.

Peter blew breaths into her mouth, then Egon started chest compressions, counting out loud. Peter blew more breaths into her mouth, Egon continuing compressions. They kept going for nearly five minutes.

“Come on, Janine!” Peter pleaded while Egon was doing his part.

Peter blew more breaths again. “Please, Janine, don’t leave me,” Egon whispered under his breath.

Suddenly, Janine’s eyes flew open and started coughing. Peter helped her sit up after Egon moved back a little. Ray wrapped her in a blanket.

Egon moved to sit beside her, pulling her up against him to keep her warm, even though he was shivering as well. But he didn’t notice his own discomfort; his sole mission at this moment was to keep the woman of his dreams close and safe.

“We’ve gotta get her to a hospital,” Winston urged. “We can come back for the ghost or whatever that was.”

They all agreed. Janine had slipped back into unconsciousness so Peter took her from Egon to allow him to stand. He took her on to Ecto-1, followed by Egon, Ray and Winston.

The Ghostbusters waited anxiously for word on Janine’s condition. She never regained consciousness but she had a pulse. They still needed to know she was ok before they could return to take care of the ghost.

Finally, the doctor came into the waiting area. A nurse had directed the guys to a separate waiting area away from the rest of the people in the ER. The hospital was crammed with people; some just regular issues, some with injuries related to storm proofing their homes.

“Ms. Melnitz is ok for now, but she has not regained consciousness,” the doctor said. “I can’t explain it; there’s no medical reason she isn’t awake.”

“Then that means there’s a paranormal reason,” Peter said with a grim look on his face.

“Can we see her? Just for a moment, before we go back to catch this ghost?” Egon asked.

The doctor smiled and nodded, leading them to her room.

As they quietly entered, their hearts sank. Egon stood beside the bed, taking Janine’s hand, giving it a light squeeze. Peter stood at the foot of the bed next to Ray, while Winston stood on the other side of the bed.

Janine was hooked up to oxygen; a heart monitor beeped steadily.

“Janine, please come back,” Egon whispered.

Ray suddenly had an idea. “Egon! Do you have your PKE meter?”

Peter gave Ray an exasperated look. “Ray, when does he NOT have it?”

“Yes!” Egon replied, reaching into his inside jumpsuit pocket. He pulled out the meter and turned it on. The meter picked up readings as he scanned Janine’s body.

“Class 7,” Egon read out loud.

“There’s a psychic connection binding them!” Ray said.

Suddenly, Janine’s eyes opened. She took in a deep breath. She turned her head looking directly at Egon. As she squeezed his hand, she said: “she wants to switch places with me! Penitence must be paid!” Her voice was laced with panic, sending cold chills down Egon’s neck. Then, she closed her eyes and fell back into a deep sleep, releasing Egon’s hand.

“What’s that mean?” Peter asked.

“We need to investigate that area, it’s history and find out why this entity wants to trade places with Janine,” Egon said determined.

“We’d better get a move on then,” Winston said. “We’ve got about twenty-two hours before that hurricane hits!”


	5. Spirit Lost, Spirit Gained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys go after the water spirit but will Janine pay the ultimate price?

“Hang in there, girl,” Winston said to Janine as they prepared to leave. 

“Don’t you worry; we’ll fix this,” Ray said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

“Keep fighting it, Big J; we’ll get this bitch,” Peter whispered, laying a brotherly kiss on her forehead.

“I love you; I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Egon whispered. He gave her a light kiss on the lips, in plain view of the others.

“Hmmm, getting a little cozy with Red, are we?” Peter teased, giving him a light elbow jab in his side.

“Let’s get to work,” Egon said sternly, not swayed by Peter’s teasing. 

The men headed back out to the ER waiting room area. An elderly woman recognized them and walked up to them. 

“Excuse me; aren’t you boys the Ghostbusters?” She asked. 

“Yes ma’am,” Ray replied.

“What brings you all down here?” the woman asked.

“We were on vacation, but our friend has been injured,” Peter explained. 

“Yes, I saw you all when you brought her in,” the woman said. “She’s in danger.”

The men gave each other a very serious look. 

“Why do you say that?” Egon asked.

“She has an aura around her; I can see them when people are in danger,” she explained. “She’s been touched by an unclean spirit.”

“Could you explain to us what’s happened down at the gardens?” Winston asked.

“All I know is what has been passed down through generations. Many years ago, there was a young woman who practiced witchcraft. The townspeople didn’t think too highly of that so they burned her at the stake, down where the Vizcaya Gardens are now,” the woman said.

“Lemme guess: during a hurricane, right?” Peter asked.

The woman nodded. “Yes, it was very stormy right before the hurricane hit. It’s believed that she attached her spirit to the sea, and one day, she would return.”

“I need to check my reference books!” Ray said excitedly. “I know I’ve read something on spirits like this before!” 

“Thank you, ma’am. We appreciate your help,” Egon said, giving the woman a warm smile.

She reached out and touched his hand. “You must hurry; your lady friend doesn’t have much time. Her aura is fading.”

Egon released her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. He only wished he felt as confident as he pretended to be.

They headed back to the condo. Ray pulled out the books he had brought with him and flipped hurriedly through the pages. Finally, he found what he was looking for.

“Here! It says that spirits who attach themselves to the elements are in a temporary space, waiting for their release.”

“So what? Like some kind of purgatory?” Peter asked. 

“Sort of,” Ray said. “They need another psychic connection to trade places with. The spirit will embody the other person while the other person’s soul is trapped.”

“That’s what Janine meant!” Egon gasped. 

“And if they’re still connected through her psychic abilities, she’s trying to trade places with Janine!” Winston said.

“Penitence must be paid; that’s what Janine said,” Egon recalled. “She’s seeking revenge!”

“Then let’s shut her down!” Peter said. “If we trap the spirit, won’t it cut their psychic connection?”

“Yes, in theory,” Ray said.

“But?” Peter asked warily.

“But I don’t know what will happen to Janine. She’ll either snap out of the comatose state she’s in now or…..”

They all exchanged worried glances. . 

“Let’s go,” Egon said. “The woman at the ER said we don’t have much time.”

The Ghostbusters returned to the Vizcaya Gardens and ran straight to the area where Janine had been taken out across the water. The waves churned even more as Hurricane Ethel approached. 

“How do we summon this thing?” Winston asked. 

“The book said that once a psychic connection has been made, the spirit will not rest until the switch has been made,” Ray explained.

“What if we had another ghost in the area?” Peter asked. 

“It might work...as a decoy,” Egon agreed. 

“But….where do we find another ghost NOW?!” Peter shouted.

Winston gave Ray a quick wink, then whistled. Slimer had stowed away in the rental van Winston and Ray had drove to Florida in. Slimer heard the whistle and came flying towards them. 

“Peeteerrrrrr!” Slimer yelled, heading straight towards Peter. He was able to slow down just before sliming him.

“We just didn’t have the heart to leave him behind,” Ray admitted sheepishly.

“Well, since you’re here, you might as well be useful!” Peter said. 

“Yes. Slimer, could you please go closer to the water’s edge?” Egon asked. “Hopefully, your PKE signature will be enough to lure the spirit back.”

The guys powered up their packs in preparation for battle. Egon watched his PKE meter closely. Twenty minutes passed when suddenly, the arms on the meter shot up! 

“Get ready!” Egon exclaimed. 

“Slimer, pull back this way!” Winston told the little green blob.

As Slimer nervously floated backwards towards the Busters, the water started to glow. The white light became bigger and broke through the top of the water. The guys were able to see a figure faintly in the middle of the light. As the figure got closer, she became more visible. She was a young woman in a long, flowing gown. Her hair was long, falling halfway down her back. 

“Who dares to remove my offering?” the spirit spoke harshly. 

“HIT IT!” Peter ordered. 

All four streams locked onto their target, holding her effectively in place. Ray threw out the trap. 

“Trap open!” Ray yelled.

“Let’s reel this bitch in!” Peter screamed. 

***********************

“Doctor! I’m losing her!” the nurse yelled as she performed CPR compressions on Janine. 

“What happened?!” the doctor demanded as he ran into the room.

“She went into cardiac arrest!” the nurse explained. 

Another nurse came in with an AED. “Clear the patient!”  
He prepared the defibrillator. He placed the paddles on Janine’s body. “CLEAR!” He sent a jolt of electricity through her body, but Janine did not respond.

“AGAIN!” the doctor ordered.

Janine’s back arched as another jolt was sent through her. Still no response. 

*****************  
Quickly, they pulled the ghost down; the trap did the rest. Winston went over to the trap to check it. “Yes! We got her!”

They all high fived each other, thrilled over their victory.

“Let’s get back to the hospital!” Egon exclaimed. 

********************  
“AGAIN!” the doctor shouted, shocking Janine again with the AED paddles. No response. 

“Call it,” the doctor said sadly as he watched the line on Janine’s heart monitor go flat.


	6. Back to New York

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ghostbusters return to the hospital, get terrible news, and must ride out the hurricane.

The Ghostbusters were flying high from the successful capture of the water spirit. However, their hopes crashed once they returned to the hospital. They hurriedly made their way to Janine’s room but were stopped by the nurse before they could enter. 

The doctor was paged overhead and soon, he arrived to speak with the four anxious men. “I’m afraid I have bad news.” The doctor’s voice was low and soft. “Ms. Melnitz didn’t make it.”

“WHAT?!” Peter yelled, tears instantly forming in his eyes. 

Egon’s face paled dramatically, and his legs nearly buckled beneath him. He was completely speechless.

“She went into cardiac arrest. We attempted to revive her with CPR and use of the AED. But….we officially pronounced her approximately twenty minutes ago,” the doctor explained, checking his watch for accuracy. 

“Can….can we…..see her?” Ray choked out the words, a knot hanging in his throat. 

The doctor nodded and led them to the room. “I kept her in the room until you all got back.” He opened the door for them and quietly ushered them in. “Take your time.”

The four men entered slowly. Winston and Peter went in first, closely followed by Ray and Egon. They all walked slowly, as if their feet weighed a ton each. No one said anything. 

Winston went up to her first. He touched her hand with his, the coldness of her skin causing him to gasp. Tears silently ran down his face as he took in the peaceful look on her face. “I’m sorry we weren’t quick enough, Janine. We’ll miss you.” He lightly squeezed her hand and stepped away to allow the others to see her.

Ray was next, tears already streaming down his face. He didn’t touch Janine, but he leaned in to whisper to her. “We’ll never be able to replace you. You were the best: best secretary and office manager, but most importantly, you were the best friend a guy could have.” He tearfully stepped away, moving to the other side of the room.

Peter walked up to the bedside. He stared down at her, refusing to allow himself to break down. “Who am I gonna give a hard time at the office now, Big J? We got the witch that did this, but I know that still doesn’t make it right. I’m not gonna tell you goodbye cause you’re gonna haunt the Firehouse, ok?” He leaned over and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. His strong facade faded as he then said: “I love you, sis.” He walked over to stare out the window so no one would see the tears as they fell.

Egon walked up to her bedside, taking her hand in his. He took a deep breath before speaking. “Janine, I’m sorry for so much. I’m sorry for not preventing this; I’m sorry I wasn’t here; but most of all, I am so sorry for not telling you years ago….I love you. And I will always love you.” He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. He stood and took a moment to memorize her face before stepping away, sitting down in a nearby chair, then breaking down into sobs. 

The others gathered around him, all trying to comfort each other during this heartbreaking moment. 

The room was silent, save for the sound of the winds outside picking up. The hurricane, now a Category 4, was closing in. The guys had decided to stay at the hospital and ride out the storm. The doctor had came by the room and tried to get the guys to leave. But they refused; they would stay there with Janine until the storm passed, then begin transporting her back to New York.

Winston and Ray has gone to get coffee; Peter tried to talk to Egon. “Spengs, we need to contact her family.”

“No, not now. We’ll wait until the storm is over,” Egon sternly insisted. 

Time passed slowly. The hospital staff had allowed some of the nurses to go to each patient room and do what they could to storm proof the windows. The more critical patients had been moved to another part of the building where they could be kept away from windows.

Twelve hours later, the hurricane had picked up speed and was a little less than an hour away. The wind and rain from the outer bands were already pummeling the building. Generators were on standby in the event they lost power. The windows had been boarded up, but the wind was still whipping. It sounded like the window was going to break.

Egon stood and walked over to Janine lying in the bed. He gently placed one arm across her chest, grabbing the bed railing on the opposite side. He laid his other arm around her head protectively. 

Peter, Ray and Winston joined him. Each man protectively spread themselves across Janine. The wind howled and the rain could be heard hitting against the outside of the building. The lights flickered twice but didn’t go out. It lasted only a few minutes, but it felt like forever. 

“Will you guys please let me breathe?” Janine asked hoarsely.

All four men backed away from the bed and stared at her. Peter’s face blanched, and he passed out. Winston knelt down to wake him up. 

“JANINE!” Egon screamed, throwing his arms around a very confused Janine.

Ray leaned in quickly and hugged her, too. .

“Hey! We gotta tell the doctor!” Ray suddenly realized. He ran out of the room in search of a nurse.

“How’s this even possible?” Peter asked after he had regained consciousness. Winston had handed him a cup of water. Peter even blinked several times to make sure he wasn’t imagining things.

“Well, it happened in biblical times,” Winston said.

“I theorize it may be the Lazarus Syndrome,” Egon explained as he adjusted his glasses. “There have been reports of people being pronounced dead when, in fact, they aren’t.”

“Whoa! Wait a minute!” Janine said. “I was...was…..DEAD?!”

“Clinically, yes,” Egon said. “But biologically, your brain activity had not stopped. The doctor likely pronounced you dead due to the fact that you had no pulse and no heartbeat.”

“But, it’s been twelve hours!” Peter said, his mind still racing to process this.

“There have been reports of people being declared dead for a full twenty four hours and still wake up,” Egon said. “There’s different theories as to how and why this is possible.”

“Who cares? She’s alive!” Winston shouted.

Ray and the doctor returned to the room. The doctor’s mouth literally dropped open. He checked Janine’s vitals. “My apologies Ms. Melnitz. It seems you are alive and well! After this hurricane is over, I’d like to run a CT scan just to be on the safe side.”

“No problem,” Janine agreed. “Now, what have you got around here to eat?”

“I’ll check the vending machines!” Ray said and rushed out of the room. 

Peter leaned over to speak to Janine privately. “We need to talk after you’re feeling better.”

Janine smiled and nodded. 

Ray ran back into the room with a candy bar, a bag of chips and a soda. “Here ya go, Janine! So...what was it like? Did you see a bright light? Did you see loved ones who passed long ago?”

“Whoa, Tex! Slow down!” Peter said, taking Ray by the shoulders and steering him towards the door. “Let’s give her some time to eat and get a handle on things.”

Winston smiled. “We’re gonna give you two some time,” he said, giving Egon a wink. He closed the door behind him. 

Janine looked at Egon with a confused expression. “Ok, I’m trying not to freak out about all of this. But, why is everybody acting like there’s an inside joke going on?”

“Do you remember anything?” Egon asked, scientific curiosity getting the best of him. 

“I remember being pulled out across the water,” Janine began. “Then, we were here at the hospital. I think I dreamed about the ghost. She told me that penitence must be paid. What’s that mean?”

“Anything after that?” Egon asked.

Janine shook her head. “Nothing til just a bit ago, when I woke up.”

Egon held her hand. “You didn’t dream the ghost spoke to you. You were linked to the spirit by your psychic connection. Years ago, this woman was burned at the stake for practicing witchcraft. A storm like this one was happening during her death; she attached herself to the water.”

“And penitence must be paid: like revenge?” Janine asked.

“Yes. She needed someone with a reasonable amount of psychic ability to link with during the storm. The conditions were right…,” Egon explained before Janine finished for him.

“And I just happened to be at the right place at the right time,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “Damn! Why couldn’t I be normal?!”

Egon cupped his hand on the side of her face, looking her in the eyes. “If you were normal, I doubt you would have agreed to work for us. And that would have been very disappointing.” He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

After they broke the kiss, Janine smiled. “Yeah, Peter has said we’re all a bit touched to do what we do for a living.”

********************************  
Two hours passed, the eye of the hurricane had passed and everyone was riding out the other half of the rain and wind bands. The hospital withstood the storm, suffering only minor damages. It was located far enough inland that flooding wasn’t a problem. 

After the weather had settled down, the doctor ordered a CT scan to make sure Janine didn’t have any kind of internal injuries. He also wanted to ensure her brain activity was normal. 

The doctor found that Janine was completely fine and gave her a clean bill of health. She stayed at the hospital another day for observation, then released. 

The airports were bombarded with people trying to get out and in to the area. So the guys and Janine agreed to all return to New York in the rental van. The roads were jammed with vehicles so the drive was significantly slower than normal. It was going to take extra time to get back to New York so they found a hotel halfway through the trip. Peter, Ray and Winston got one room while Egon and Janine got another. They both swore the next morning that nothing had happened, but Peter provoked and teased Egon for the rest of the trip over a hickey on his neck. 

By the time they got back to the Firehouse, Janine was ready to get back to her apartment. 

“I’m headed home guys,” Janine announced.

“I’ll see you later?” Egon asked.

“Oh yes….you will,” Janine purred, then turned to leave. 

After she got out of earshot, Peter added, “Well, you’re not wasting time, are you Spengs?”

Egon smiled. “After our experience, I do not want to waste any time. I want to make the most of each moment.”

“Wisely put,” Winston said.


End file.
